ARL-TR-8563 - Effect of Crosswind on Direct-Fire Projectile Dispersion and Hit Probability and Considerations for Crosswind Estimation | U.S. Army Research Laboratory

摘要

The effect of crosswind on target impact dispersion and probability of hit for direct-fire projectiles and its implications on crosswind estimation strategies and technologies is addressed. Results are presented for a generic 5.56-mm small-caliber projectile. The results show that significant reductions in the target impact dispersion and improvements in probability of hit are possible, but only if the other Soldier system errors are reduced. The results show that existing methods of wind estimation employed by proficient shooters for reduction in crosswind drift can be effective. In spatially variable wind fields, estimation of the average wind across the trajectory provides a reasonable means of estimating the crosswind drift. The results also show that estimation of the wind field over a portion of the trajectory can lead to a meaningful reduction in crosswind drift.